Ron Lipton: Q & A Thread

[Ron Lipton]

Thanks Ted,
can't wait to see this book as I loved your first one.

[Mike DeLisa]

"ATTENTION: This is NOT a skill training session"

I thought that applied only to the first sequence of rapid-fire shots, not to the second.

As i said, the guy is in shape and hits hard. His right is very well thrown: I wouldn't want to fight him.

BUT my point dealt with technique -- you need to practice good technique at every step. One of my trainers used to stand behind the heavybag and if you dropped your hands he'd just smack you in the face.

[Mike DeLisa]

Ps -- he writes on his site:

"Conditioning drills will always be important to the boxer, but this game cannot be mastered on the track, it must be mastered inside the ring. Boxing is a complex sport. Most will never understand the true complexity. Boxing requires physical conditioning, courage, mental toughness, power, speed, and ability. You must integrate several forms of training to truly optimize your performance. You must focus on developing strength, stamina, and boxing specific skills."

So true -- and the more I look at his training vids the more i like this guy!

[Ron Lipton]

"ATTENTION: This is NOT a skill training session"

I thought that applied only to the first sequence of rapid-fire shots, not to the second.

As i said, the guy is in shape and hits hard. His right is very well thrown: I wouldn't want to fight him.

BUT my point dealt with technique -- you need to practice good technique at every step. One of my trainers used to stand behind the heavybag and if you dropped your hands he'd just smack you in the face.

Reply: Absolutely,

George Branch later a Newark NJ Councilman and one of my former trainers in my corner for my second record setting quick Ko, used to slap me on the head and I don't mean like Gil Clancy play slapping Emile during the Paret fights, if I made ONE mistake in front of the mirror.

You can see him in the picture with me prior to me my KO on channel 47 in Symphony Hall in Newark. He later made it into Henry Hascups NJ Hall of Fame and I will always love Buddi Gi as we called him.

You do have to practice good technique at EVERY SINGLE STEP and this is one of my foundatiions as a fight teacher, that almost none but one or two of my students have ever adhered to. It is so important to executing under pressure to rehearse perfection.

I am a task master with this and hated for it as a brutal no nonsesne hard core on your ass trainer, but it has worked for me.

[Ron Lipton]

Ross has guts and dedication by what I see,

When I get a guy like that I can turn them into a champion like no other.

[Ron Lipton]

Hi Ted,

Where is the thread?

Ron

[Ron Lipton]

I saw the MMA card last night and was convinced that the skills of a professional boxer are so far superior to what I saw. I have a black belt in Judo and despite being a 100% boxing guy, have a strong background in MMA and I watch all fights to keep learning and have not missed too many of them since their inception on TV.

The condition of Kimbo's opponent ear prior to getting into the ring was objectionable and seeing it hanging and flopping about on national tv was not a good thing. Kimbo for the first time since I have seen him fight, seemed like a weary old man, perhaps trained down too fine by Bas, looking a bit flat and worn out.

He showed plenty of guts and strength but was no superman anymore from what I saw. His back and legs lacked his former power although his arms and shoulders were still there. When the camera did a closeup on him, he looked like a poor worn out soul who was being used as badly as Primo Carnera was.

I am glad the guy is making a buck but something about him is tragic as this is the only brick in the wall for him. I love good MMA fights yet something about Kimbo's bout last made me feel less human and it seemed the referee could have stopped the bout but let it go on to keep the Carnera train rolling.

Phil Baroni is THROUGH! God, enough is enough with him. In the female bout, the loser's face was all the Doctor had to see with the CBS executives probably PRAYING it was stopped immediately before the carnage caused something serious and ended the new venture forever.

Kimbo seemed so old at times, I believe his days are numbered and the opponents will be chosen very very carefully now.

[Ron Lipton]

Thanks Ted

[Off The River]

Mr Lipton. I am a keen fan of MMA and follow it pretty regularly. I see a lot of holes in MMA fighters that a good boxer could employ, but I always felt that the boxers stance opens them up to that damn low kick to the leg which, along with the jab is the best striking weapon.

Also, my family is a bit of a boxing family with my father boxing in the army and my uncle through marriage being Canadian light heavyweigh champ. I firmly believe the hands are the deadliest weapons. With my experience in Taekwondo these days, I have to say that a good front kick keeps a lot of people at bay and a back kick has crippling power, but must be used sparringly.

All of thes should be used behing a jab which is not used nearly enough in MMA. The problem being is that the boxer who successfully makes the crossover is going to need a blackbelt in Judo, Jujitsu, or a wrestling back groud, or ever fight they get into will end up with them on the ground or their opponent being knocked out. If you were only 25 years younger!

How do you think a guy like Cermit Cintron would do with his wrestling background? Do you know of any other good boxers with a grappling backgroud as well?

Thabks in advance. All the best!
OTR

[Ron Lipton]

Mr Lipton. I am a keen fan of MMA and follow it pretty regularly. I see a lot of holes in MMA fighters that a good boxer could employ, but I always felt that the boxers stance opens them up to that damn low kick to the leg which, along with the jab is the best striking weapon.

Reply: Very keen observation and that goes to the heart of preparing a skilled and deadly pro boxer for a MMA encounter properly. It is truly a sad thing Off the River, and tell me your first name please, to see for example a wonderful and seasoned pro like Ray Mercer, a gold medal winner and the great warrior I refereed in his fight with Holyfield, a victor over Cooper, Morrison and a draw with Lewis, humbled while beyond a retread over the hill athlete with a mid-section so wide he cannot even move, in a desperate for money MMA bout.

I swear to God if they ever gave me a really good pro fighter who wanted to try this stuff, I would have him ready like you would NOT BELIEVE, to knock these guys out quickly and deal with submissions, leg kicks etc. That damn low kick to the leg IS ABSOLUTELY DEBILATATING and can be avoided.

Also, my family is a bit of a boxing family with my father boxing in the army and my uncle through marriage being Canadian light heavyweigh champ.

Reply: It is great to have a boxing family like me and Mike DeLisa for example too. The stories from our relatives really stay entrenched in our memories and help kindle a new fire that burns for boxing.


I firmly believe the hands are the deadliest weapons. With my experience in Taekwondo these days, I have to say that a good front kick keeps a lot of people at bay and a back kick has crippling power, but must be used sparringly.

Reply: The front kick while done with lightning speed and side kick too are less of a danger than a back kick when missed. Remember any kick puts you up on one leg for that half second and leaves you very vulneable unless you are extremely fast in a real fight. I will punch a leg in a second with my rock hard hands which I never break, I also have my fighters not just block but punch arms and shoulders to splinter them with my punching methods as counters and leads.

All of thes should be used behing a jab which is not used nearly enough in MMA.

Last night's MMA show showed some real damaging jabbing techinques with Smith the hands of steel on the receiving end.


The problem being is that the boxer who successfully makes the crossover is going to need a blackbelt in Judo, Jujitsu, or a wrestling back groud, or ever fight they get into will end up with them on the ground or their opponent being knocked out.

Reply: I agree

If you were only 25 years younger!

Reply: My son and my close friends who truly remember me flatter me by saying I would have went all the way. I know what I see now competing in there and I know how much I could help them if given the chance, especially DLH in his fight with Mayweather, but no one listens and it is all sown up by others. The guy I could help the most is Chuck Liddell and the other strikers.

How do you think a guy like Cermit Cintron would do with his wrestling background? Do you know of any other good boxers with a grappling backgroud as well?

Reply: None really. You have to have powerful cat muscle to be quick and tenacious. Guys like Belfort, Hughes and St. Pierre had different kinds of gifts yet lacked in others. Belfort was the the Eagle among crows as a fast handed striker, although his technique was amateurish and not as fast as I would have liked, still formidable, Hughes, the epitome of Pit Bull tenacity and wrestler grit, but terrible striker, too stiff and slow.

St Pieree has all the tools and trains the best, yet the magic is missing as far as consistency with stand up one shot ko power.

I could fix that with him very quickly.

Villasenor proved you do not have to have the steroid muscle of Baroni to use your inherent strength to defeat such a foe. Natural tendon and ligament strength such as he has, plus the mental attitude, skill and leg strength, plus reflexes can get the job done, yet even he has flaws which can be exploited.

Kimbo Slice can be defeated by a skilled striker and submission fighter with power very easily, but they have marketing plans for him and choose his opponents carefully.


Thabks in advance. All the best!
OTR

Great post buddy.

your friend,
Ronnie

[Ron Lipton]

Mr Lipton. I am a keen fan of MMA and follow it pretty regularly. I see a lot of holes in MMA fighters that a good boxer could employ, but I always felt that the boxers stance opens them up to that damn low kick to the leg which, along with the jab is the best striking weapon.

Reply: Very keen observation and that goes to the heart of preparing a skilled and deadly pro boxer for a MMA encounter properly. It is truly a sad thing Off the River, and tell me your first name please, to see for example a wonderful and seasoned pro like Ray Mercer, a gold medal winner and the great warrior I refereed in his fight with Holyfield, a victor over Cooper, Morrison and a draw with Lewis, humbled while beyond a retread over the hill athlete with a mid-section so wide he cannot even move, in a desperate for money MMA bout.

I swear to God if they ever gave me a really good pro fighter who wanted to try this stuff, I would have him ready like you would NOT BELIEVE, to knock these guys out quickly and deal with submissions, leg kicks etc. That damn low kick to the leg IS ABSOLUTELY DEBILATATING and can be avoided.

Also, my family is a bit of a boxing family with my father boxing in the army and my uncle through marriage being Canadian light heavyweigh champ.

Reply: It is great to have a boxing family like me and Mike DeLisa for example too. The stories from our relatives really stay entrenched in our memories and help kindle a new fire that burns for boxing.


I firmly believe the hands are the deadliest weapons. With my experience in Taekwondo these days, I have to say that a good front kick keeps a lot of people at bay and a back kick has crippling power, but must be used sparringly.

Reply: The front kick while done with lightning speed and side kick too are less of a danger than a back kick when missed. Remember any kick puts you up on one leg for that half second and leaves you very vulneable unless you are extremely fast in a real fight. I will punch a leg in a second with my rock hard hands which I never break, I also have my fighters not just block but punch arms and shoulders to splinter them with my punching methods as counters and leads.

All of thes should be used behing a jab which is not used nearly enough in MMA.

Last night's MMA show showed some real damaging jabbing techinques with Smith the hands of steel on the receiving end.


The problem being is that the boxer who successfully makes the crossover is going to need a blackbelt in Judo, Jujitsu, or a wrestling back groud, or ever fight they get into will end up with them on the ground or their opponent being knocked out.

Reply: I agree

If you were only 25 years younger!

Reply: My son and my close friends who truly remember me flatter me by saying I would have went all the way. I know what I see now competing in there and I know how much I could help them if given the chance, especially DLH in his fight with Mayweather, but no one listens and it is all sown up by others. The guy I could help the most is Chuck Liddell and the other strikers.

How do you think a guy like Cermit Cintron would do with his wrestling background? Do you know of any other good boxers with a grappling backgroud as well?

Reply: None really. You have to have powerful cat muscle to be quick and tenacious. Guys like Belfort, Hughes and St. Pierre had different kinds of gifts yet lacked in others. Belfort was the the Eagle among crows as a fast handed striker, although his technique was amateurish and not as fast as I would have liked, still formidable, Hughes, the epitome of Pit Bull tenacity and wrestler grit, but terrible striker, too stiff and slow.

St Pieree has all the tools and trains the best, yet the magic is missing as far as consistency with stand up one shot ko power.

I could fix that with him very quickly.

Villasenor proved you do not have to have the steroid muscle of Baroni to use your inherent strength to defeat such a foe. Natural tendon and ligament strength such as he has, plus the mental attitude, skill and leg strength, plus reflexes can get the job done, yet even he has flaws which can be exploited.

Kimbo Slice can be defeated by a skilled striker and submission fighter with power very easily, but they have marketing plans for him and choose his opponents carefully.


Thabks in advance. All the best!
OTR

Great post buddy.

your friend,
Ronnie

[Ron Lipton]

Sorry Off The River, I forgot to respond to the Cintron question.

I do not think he would do well because he is durable but not powerful enough for the transition. If he packed on enough usable muscle he would no longer be a welter. Guys like Nick Diaz do well though and like Royce Gracie the King, skill, submission skills, arm bars, chokes are my forte too, but in my opinion one must have great strength and endurance in all muscle groups. Cintron is not a strong enough puncher yet with one shot with either hand.

That is the thing I teach. One shot, over and out, at all times, first round, mid rounds, last round, one shot over and out. To do this the training is too hard and the sacrifices too great to the average guy who wants to party and train too.

I NEVER mix the two, he who does, loses. Party afterward or don't waste my time, as I don't get paid to train guys. I do it on spec and hard work.

[Off The River]

Mr. Lipton. I believe I mentioned my name before. Brendan Clancy. I chose Off The River, because I am from Miramichi New Brunswick in Canada. A tough mumber/fishin town not far from Where Yvonne Durell is from.

My Uncle is his nephew Rene. I am good friends with Rosaire "Tiger lo" Durelle as well. I smacked the bag around in his gym and got a few points from him as well. Have you ever had the opportunity of seeing him or Rene fight?

I always sayed in reasonable shape, but with my last car accident, and at 37, just can't get the fire in my bell to get down to the 180-190lb range which is my best weight. Also, I love a beer on the weekends. I am not he liquor pig I was in my old days, but I am half Irish and Scottish!!!!!!!

[Ron Lipton]

Mr. Lipton. I believe I mentioned my name before. Brendan Clancy. I chose Off The River, because I am from Miramichi New Brunswick in Canada. A tough mumber/fishin town not far from Where Yvonne Durell is from.

My Uncle is his nephew Rene. I am good friends with Rosaire "Tiger lo" Durelle as well. I smacked the bag around in his gym and got a few points from him as well. Have you ever had the opportunity of seeing him or Rene fight?

I always sayed in reasonable shape, but with my last car accident, and at 37, just can't get the fire in my bell to get down to the 180-190lb range which is my best weight. Also, I love a beer on the weekends. I am not he liquor pig I was in my old days, but I am half Irish and Scottish!!!!!!!

Reply: Hi Brendan,

Both of my friends Floyd Patterson and George Chuvalo fought Yvonne and he was one powerful and tough fighter. Sorry to hear about your car accident, injuries just ruin everything.

I never saw Rene fight but I sure saw Yvonne battle. When the desire to train comes, you will do it. In the meantime just do the bad things with food and drink in moderation and work that abdominal area and some aerobics for health as a bare minimum. The rest will follow when you need it to.

It must be beautiful where you live, do you see any black bear or brown bear up there, are there any Mountain Lions or wolves up in that area?

[Off The River]

I had to laugh out loud. I'm from New Brunswick, but I've been living in Korea, (hence the Tae kwon do eh?)for almost six years now! I found myself married to a beautiful Korean woman and a little thhree year old son with another boy on the way in October.

So, no wolves in Incheon. I saw some deer whule out hiking on an island about a month ago, and a family of wild boar up by the North Korean Border in Feburary! That was simply spectacular. Six of them.

Back home has no more wolves, but there are occcasional sightings of cougars, but it is debated as to whether or not they are authentic sightings. Lots of blackbears, moose, deer and a very large breed of coyote that many believe bred with the wolves as they were being pushed out.

It's still pretty beautiful, but there as been extensive logging as foresty and fishing is our number one resource.

I still stick with the cardio. I just did a thirty minute lay up session in the basketball court behind my apartment building. I finished them off with 20 push ups on my knuckles and did a set of ten with either hand balanced on the baskket ball. I also played nine innings of baseball on Sunday and stuck with the cardio all last week on the baskktball court. Let's not forget I did just score Over 90 % inmy 2nd degree blackbelt test.

My elbows are still killing me though! I think I must have bone chips in my left elbow. I can feel someting floating. As for the abs. I kknow you are right, I do them a few times a week, but not too seriously.

Alas... It's those beer on the weekend. I love to go out for a bite with the wife and have a drink. I just have a tough constitution. A dozen or so beer and I am still up at 7:00 am on a Saturday. My resting heart rate at the computer as I write is at 67 and that's after a 12 hour day of teaching! My blood pressure if perfect as well.

As far as food, I do eat healthy, a lot of rice and veggies, fruit, water and maybe just a little too much meat at times. But I just got back from my 98 year old grand mother's funeral and my grand father made it to 84. I often wish the drinking would catch p to me like it has a lot of people. I don't frink every day, like I said I just sip on a lot on the weekend.

I often think about Yvonne when I watch his olf fights. If he had been better trained, he could very well have been up there with the greats. I don't think he threw one body shot against Moore. Let's not forget he was a middleweight.

As for Rene, he was as good as Duran on the rope. Very highly skilled. Many people feel he was robbed in his rematch against Max Sparx. The ref got between him and Sparx after he knockked him down and ruled it a slip. That was his first loss and he never recovered. He naver had a drink untill that fight. He was drunk for about 25 years after that!

Tiger was tearing up the East Coast and was actually slated to fight a young Michael Spinks in Montreal. Tiger was replaced at the last minute. He was undefeated and worked as a steel worker. He fell and crushed two vertebrae's in his back and even though he fought again he was never the same guy. They are good people, the Durelle's. Amazingly strong. In his mid forties, he has a back that looks like it has been embeeded with baseballs and a neck that doesn't kknow where to start.

Anyhow enough talk, I'm getting homesick!

[Ron Lipton]

I had to laugh out loud. I'm from New Brunswick, but I've been living in Korea, (hence the Tae kwon do eh?)for almost six years now! I found myself married to a beautiful Korean woman and a little thhree year old son with another boy on the way in October.

So, no wolves in Incheon. I saw some deer whule out hiking on an island about a month ago, and a family of wild boar up by the North Korean Border in Feburary! That was simply spectacular. Six of them.

Back home has no more wolves, but there are occcasional sightings of cougars, but it is debated as to whether or not they are authentic sightings. Lots of blackbears, moose, deer and a very large breed of coyote that many believe bred with the wolves as they were being pushed out.

It's still pretty beautiful, but there as been extensive logging as foresty and fishing is our number one resource.

REPLY: Hi buddy, sounds really beautiful in both places. Do you ever get back to Canada?

I still stick with the cardio. I just did a thirty minute lay up session in the basketball court behind my apartment building. I finished them off with 20 push ups on my knuckles and did a set of ten with either hand balanced on the baskket ball. I also played nine innings of baseball on Sunday and stuck with the cardio all last week on the baskktball court. Let's not forget I did just score Over 90 % inmy 2nd degree blackbelt test.

Reply: You sound like Superman himself, that is damn good.

My elbows are still killing me though! I think I must have bone chips in my left elbow. I can feel someting floating. As for the abs. I kknow you are right, I do them a few times a week, but not too seriously.

Reply: Listen to me. Before the elbows get any worse, always take some Active On or Icy Hot put it on the elbow joints, then get two elbow slip on wraps, not too tight, put them on. When you do any exercise do that first and then take two light dumbells, do a set of 15-20 rep light curls, supinating the hand so the blood goes into that elbow joint, start curling with your knuckles facing outward, then come up and turn your pinkie fingers inward rotating your hand. It seems to prevent any twinging feeling in the elbows following any compound tricep exercise like pushups. Its worth doing not to exacerbate the injury.

Alas... It's those beer on the weekend. I love to go out for a bite with the wife and have a drink. I just have a tough constitution. A dozen or so beer and I am still up at 7:00 am on a Saturday. My resting heart rate at the computer as I write is at 67 and that's after a 12 hour day of teaching! My blood pressure if perfect as well.

As far as food, I do eat healthy, a lot of rice and veggies, fruit, water and maybe just a little too much meat at times. But I just got back from my 98 year old grand mother's funeral and my grand father made it to 84. I often wish the drinking would catch p to me like it has a lot of people. I don't frink every day, like I said I just sip on a lot on the weekend.

Reply: You are in fine shape, working hard and what the hell you are not training to pose in the Mr. Olympia contest, you are about as strong as they come and fit too. I'll drink to that.

I often think about Yvonne when I watch his olf fights. If he had been better trained, he could very well have been up there with the greats. I don't think he threw one body shot against Moore. Let's not forget he was a middleweight.


Reply: One of the classic fights of all time, what a bag of muscle that man was, to drop Archie Moore three times in the first round.

As for Rene, he was as good as Duran on the rope. Very highly skilled. Many people feel he was robbed in his rematch against Max Sparx. The ref got between him and Sparx after he knockked him down and ruled it a slip. That was his first loss and he never recovered. He naver had a drink untill that fight. He was drunk for about 25 years after that!

Tiger was tearing up the East Coast and was actually slated to fight a young Michael Spinks in Montreal. Tiger was replaced at the last minute. He was undefeated and worked as a steel worker. He fell and crushed two vertebrae's in his back and even though he fought again he was never the same guy. They are good people, the Durelle's. Amazingly strong. In his mid forties, he has a back that looks like it has been embeeded with baseballs and a neck that doesn't kknow where to start.

Anyhow enough talk, I'm getting homesick!

Thanks for writing and stay well. Are things peaceful for Americans where you are these days. I saw a disturbing piece on 60 Minutes awhile back how South Korean youth seem to be more sympathetic to North Korea etc.
Stay well and best to your family.

Ron

[Ron Lipton]

I had to laugh out loud. I'm from New Brunswick, but I've been living in Korea, (hence the Tae kwon do eh?)for almost six years now! I found myself married to a beautiful Korean woman and a little thhree year old son with another boy on the way in October.

So, no wolves in Incheon. I saw some deer whule out hiking on an island about a month ago, and a family of wild boar up by the North Korean Border in Feburary! That was simply spectacular. Six of them.

Back home has no more wolves, but there are occcasional sightings of cougars, but it is debated as to whether or not they are authentic sightings. Lots of blackbears, moose, deer and a very large breed of coyote that many believe bred with the wolves as they were being pushed out.

It's still pretty beautiful, but there as been extensive logging as foresty and fishing is our number one resource.

REPLY: Hi buddy, sounds really beautiful in both places. Do you ever get back to Canada?

I still stick with the cardio. I just did a thirty minute lay up session in the basketball court behind my apartment building. I finished them off with 20 push ups on my knuckles and did a set of ten with either hand balanced on the baskket ball. I also played nine innings of baseball on Sunday and stuck with the cardio all last week on the baskktball court. Let's not forget I did just score Over 90 % inmy 2nd degree blackbelt test.

Reply: You sound like Superman himself, that is damn good.

My elbows are still killing me though! I think I must have bone chips in my left elbow. I can feel someting floating. As for the abs. I kknow you are right, I do them a few times a week, but not too seriously.

Reply: Listen to me. Before the elbows get any worse, always take some Active On or Icy Hot put it on the elbow joints, then get two elbow slip on wraps, not too tight, put them on. When you do any exercise do that first and then take two light dumbells, do a set of 15-20 rep light curls, supinating the hand so the blood goes into that elbow joint, start curling with your knuckles facing outward, then come up and turn your pinkie fingers inward rotating your hand. It seems to prevent any twinging feeling in the elbows following any compound tricep exercise like pushups. Its worth doing not to exacerbate the injury.

Alas... It's those beer on the weekend. I love to go out for a bite with the wife and have a drink. I just have a tough constitution. A dozen or so beer and I am still up at 7:00 am on a Saturday. My resting heart rate at the computer as I write is at 67 and that's after a 12 hour day of teaching! My blood pressure if perfect as well.

As far as food, I do eat healthy, a lot of rice and veggies, fruit, water and maybe just a little too much meat at times. But I just got back from my 98 year old grand mother's funeral and my grand father made it to 84. I often wish the drinking would catch p to me like it has a lot of people. I don't frink every day, like I said I just sip on a lot on the weekend.

Reply: You are in fine shape, working hard and what the hell you are not training to pose in the Mr. Olympia contest, you are about as strong as they come and fit too. I'll drink to that.

I often think about Yvonne when I watch his olf fights. If he had been better trained, he could very well have been up there with the greats. I don't think he threw one body shot against Moore. Let's not forget he was a middleweight.


Reply: One of the classic fights of all time, what a bag of muscle that man was, to drop Archie Moore three times in the first round.

As for Rene, he was as good as Duran on the rope. Very highly skilled. Many people feel he was robbed in his rematch against Max Sparx. The ref got between him and Sparx after he knockked him down and ruled it a slip. That was his first loss and he never recovered. He naver had a drink untill that fight. He was drunk for about 25 years after that!

Tiger was tearing up the East Coast and was actually slated to fight a young Michael Spinks in Montreal. Tiger was replaced at the last minute. He was undefeated and worked as a steel worker. He fell and crushed two vertebrae's in his back and even though he fought again he was never the same guy. They are good people, the Durelle's. Amazingly strong. In his mid forties, he has a back that looks like it has been embeeded with baseballs and a neck that doesn't kknow where to start.

Anyhow enough talk, I'm getting homesick!

Thanks for writing and stay well. Are things peaceful for Americans where you are these days. I saw a disturbing piece on 60 Minutes awhile back how South Korean youth seem to be more sympathetic to North Korea etc.
Stay well and best to your family.

Ron

[Off The River]

Things are not too bad over here. Right now there is a lot of furor over American beef imports and the fear over mad cow disease. I've had my share of dirty looks. Being 6'2 and a failry solid 210lbs doesn't hurt either. The only problems I have ever had were with American GI's a South African and an Australian.

Actually I did have an incident with a Korean fella over parking one night. He was one tough dude!
Overall, Koreans are very warm generous people... Once you get past the xenophobia.

[Ron Lipton]

Things are not too bad over here. Right now there is a lot of furor over American beef imports and the fear over mad cow disease. I've had my share of dirty looks. Being 6'2 and a failry solid 210lbs doesn't hurt either. The only problems I have ever had were with American GI's a South African and an Australian.

Actually I did have an incident with a Korean fella over parking one night. He was one tough dude!
Overall, Koreans are very warm generous people... Once you get past the xenophobia.

Reply: Doesn't sound too bad at all, especially with you being in shape too.

The crime out here is getting pretty bad, home invasions, robberies in broad day light, muggings, are a daily occurance. Poverty, drugs and hopelessness add to it in the city here. Thats why the boxing gyms give me a chance to save a few of these kids.

best,

Ron

[Ron Lipton]

Who is going to the IBHOF, I might stop up there for the first time ever in my life to go to the Memorabilia card show on Saturday, and to see the actual Hall of Fame. Is there a place up there that most of you guys go to for a little drink, is that Graziano's and where is it.

Let me know who to look for to say hello. I was speaking to Carlos Ortiz this week and I am looking forward to seeing him once again.

Hope I can see a few of you guys to say hello in person for the first time.

Ron

[KOJOE90]

Mr Lipton

Did you know there is a new book out about your friend Emile Griffith? It's called Emile Griffith, Boxing & Homosexuality by Ron Ross.

[Ron Lipton]

Just plain awful that it focuses on his being gay. Seems like some exploitation being done on this one. Who gives rat whether he is gay. Everyone has known it for years. The poor guy seems to have pugilista dementia and has to deal with those demons. It's a sad puntuation to an otherwise great story.

Reply:

Hi Ted,
I never saw this book but would like to read it. Emile remains one of the most kind and happy go lucky guys it has been my privilege to know in this life. I hate to see the suffering he is going through physically and mentally.
What a great athlete he was indeed and such an inspiration to me of physical fitness.

[Ron Lipton]

Mr Lipton

Did you know there is a new book out about your friend Emile Griffith? It's called Emile Griffith, Boxing & Homosexuality by Ron Ross.

Hi Ko,

Thanks for letting me know, I would like to see it, I won't pass any opinion on it until I read the whole thing, although perhaps that aspect of his life should be kept private which is his right. Emile is one of a kind, such a great and brave champion.

[KOJOE90]

Hi Ko,

Thanks for letting me know, I would like to see it, I won't pass any opinion on it until I read the whole thing, although perhaps that aspect of his life should be kept private which is his right. Emile is one of a kind, such a great and brave champion.

I found this review.

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/bo..._and_homo.html

[Ron Lipton]

I found this review.

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/bo..._and_homo.html

Reply: Hi KOJOE,

It looks like the book was done with benign intent, respect and with Emile's best interests at heart. I look forward to reading it.

I could not make it up to the IBHOF, so I hope all the guys who went have a great time.

Ron

[Off The River]

Mr Lipton,

Well. I went to the doctor and had my elbow x-rayed. I have a seperated/torn tendon, or ligament in my left elbow. Hence me not being able to do my pushups. (A lot of things get lost in translation)

It is really depressing. He told me to never do push ups again and they have always been my bread and butter. I pretty much have to quit taekwondo as well. The good thing is that I can still play baseball andf basketball.

So, once again I am coming to you for advice, what excercise can you recommend to take place of pushups? (They were always so integral for me)

Thanks again,

Brendan

[Ron Lipton]

I have dealt with a torn rotator cuff and survived it especially through the strong advice of my friend Rocky Alkazoff, a really clean living hard training guy who has had a lot of bad breaks.

I also had the exact same injury you have just written to me about and it happened while training for my fight with the great Richie Gonzalez, a 5 time NJ GG champ who recently lost his life by getting struck while walking in Forida by a tractor trailer truck.

Once these unfortunate things befall us hard training athletes, we must deal with it very carefully if we desire longevity in our training.

Baby it with rest, heat, ice when swollen, and let it heal. If necessary have it operated on as a last resort. With a torn rotator cuff or an elbow injury, you can keep mentally happy by working around it and training everything else including the other arm, shoulder, forearm so you stay busy.

Once it is on the way to being healed, WARM IT UP SLOWLY, first put activon or icy hot on it, WRAP IT, and manuver it around intelligently feeling for pain. Emulate supinating curls with just your arm to oil up that elbow joint. Nothing shocking or traumatic, just let it heal and then start moving it and have the guts, focus and dedication to bite down, suck it up and let it heal despite the calls of the wild to train it prematurely.

Then get therapy like electric stimulation, applications of cold and heat, take chodroitan (Spelling?) to enhance growth of ligament-tendon tissue.

I do pushups on my knuckles on carpet or a mat with my knuckles facing outward and my inner arms very close to my body. Sometime I elevate my feet. I can punch all night long from doing these kind of pushups and my arms are like a ripped gymnast from them among other things.

Never and I mean never again do an isolated tricep movement without wraping your elbow on that arm, heating it up with icy hot or whatever, and prefacing that movement with a light bicep movement prefarably a supinating movement which lubricates that elbow joint.

It will come back, but be alert and vigilent for any twinge and THEN STOP!

Let it heal some more. You are in great shape and a disciplined athlete among the best, you will be back, I bet money on it.

Ron

[Ron Lipton]

I would add ultra sound therapy too which will heal it very quickly if you have the medical insurance we are all losing these days while they send billions to Iraq while we get screwed worse and worse at the pumps. I don't know any hard working people any more that can afford insurance, food or rent, however if the medical insurance fairy blesses you, get that ultra sound.

[Off The River]

Thanks again. One of the best things about living ion Asia is the cheap Asian medicine. Accupuncture and ultrasound cost me about five or six bucks a shot. I did notice that when I did my pushups on my knuckles, it was less painful.

The doctor said to wait untill it calcifies and he advised no operation. I always liked doing wide pushups because they helped so much with the chest.

Bicep curls are fine. I'll try to get back to a gym and see what pulldowns and a bench press can do.

Thankls again,
OTR

[Ron Lipton]

If you do the pushups between two big dumbells and vary the hand position it will hit your chest very good. Now they have the adjustable dumbells but before all of that, pushup bars or the two dumbells on the floor work fine.
I like to keep my inner arms close to my body with knuckles facing out, then to hit my chest more I lean forward.

The one great exercise is truly out of the picture with that elbow injury and that is dips.

Get well soon.

Ron